Bracelet.



E. 8. SMITH.

BRACELET. APPLICATlON FILED we. 21, ms

Patented May 23, 1916.

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EZRA S. SMITH, OF ATTLEIBORO,

FTC.

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO B. F. SIMMONS COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

BRACELET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Application filed January 21, 1915. Serial No. 3,478.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EZRA S. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Bracelets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to expansion bracelets, and particularly to that type thereof adapted to include a watch or similar ar- The essential objects of my invention are to render the constituent units of the bracelet uniform throughout and adaptable to use not only as a bracelet band, but as the connecting means of the band to. the watch, so that specially formed link members differing from the band units will not be required at the ends of the band adjacent the watch; to afford a capacity in the bracelet for the detachment of a link unit or units from adjacent links for repair, substitution, or change of length without mutilation of the parts, and by the retailer,

without return to the manufacturer; to prevent the accidental escape of the watch from the band; and to attain these ends.

in a simple, ornamental, and inexpensive structurel To the above ends essentially my invention consists in such parts and combinations of parts as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a bracelet embodying my invention, showing in broken outline the position of one of the units" which has been removed, Fig. 2, is a plan view of the unit which, for illustrative purposes, has been removed from the band in Fig. 1, Fig. 3, is a section taken on lines 3, 30f Fig. 1, Fig. 4, a section taken on line 4, 4 of Fig. 7, Fig. 5, a section on line 5, 5 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6,v a detailed View of the ad acent ends of two units during disengagement, showing a part broken away.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views. I

My bracelet comprises a band or body portion A consisting of two sections 13, B composed respectively of connected units C and C which are similar in detailed construction, so that a description of one such plates near their ends are fixed. The sec ond member of each unit G is a slidable oblong split link I comprising at one end a hook portion i, and at the other end an open loop portion j, integral with which is a smooth spring tongue is, over whose free end laps the hook portion The contacting ends of the hook and tongue are diagonal or beveled. The usual guide plate m is fixed in the loop portion j and is movable within the inturned or concave edges of the plates 7. In each link I is a helical spring 0 hav- 1ng one end abutting against the plate m, and the other end pressing against the post h, which passes through the member I between the shank and the tongue 7:. The post 9 of the adjacent unit passes through the hook portion 2'.

The ring or loop D loosely embraces the adjacent posts 9 and g of the link sections B and B. The opposite ends of said sections are engaged to the ears 6 which pass through the hook portions of the links I.

It will be observed that each linkunit is identical in every detail'with every other link unit in the bracelet; and as a result, that those units adjacent the watch which perform the attaching function differ in no respect from those intermediate units which form band connections. By virtue of this similarity it is unnecessary to involve the expense of making end units of special con struction. Furthermore the structure of each unit is such as to permit the entire and facile disengagement of any single intermediate unit from the other units of the band, when desired for substitution or repair, without any mutilation of the band. The method of doing this, as shown in Fig. 6, consists in withdrawing the split link some distance out of its inclosing frame against the tension of its spring so as to tion of a plurality of frames,

connecting members,

permitthe manual depression of the tongue is, whereupon the post inclosed by the hook may be withdrawn. The opposite end of the first unit is similarly disengaged. from the next adjacent unit, and the first unit withdrawn. Then the ends freed by the removal of the unit may be manually engaged when it is desired to lessen the length of the band.

\Vhat I claim is,

1. In an expansion bracelet, the combination of a closed link, and two series of detachably connected units embodying resilient hook end members, said series being attached to opposite ends of the closed link at points remote from the hook members.

2. In an expansion bracelet, the combinahook members slidably mounted in the frames, and adapted to engage the rear ends of adjacent frames, and a closed link connecting the adjacent rear ends of two frames whereby the hooks extend in opposite directions at the opposite ends of the closed link.

3. In an expansion bracelet, the combination of a closed link, two series of link units similar to each other in all respects engaging the ends of the link, each unit comprising spaced guard plates, two posts connect ing the plates near their ends, links comprising hooks and tongues slidably mounted between the plates and surrounding one of the posts and adapted to engage a post on an adjacent unit, and a spring in each slidable link having its ends bearing against the inclosed post and the end of the slidable link.

4. In a bracelet or the like, an outer link comprising a pair of side members spaced apart and fastened togetherat both ends by an inner link sliding within said outer link consisting of an elongated loop divided near one end and comprising a hook portion and a tongue portion, the free ends of the hook and tongue having resilient engagement with each other, one of the connecting members of the outer link passing through said inner link and serving both as a guide for the sliding inner link and as a separator to prevent said free ends being separated when the links are in contracted relation.

5. In a bracelet or the like, an outer link comprising a pair of side members spaced apart and fastened together at both ends by connecting members, an inner link sliding within said outerlink consisting of an elongated loop divided near one end and comprising a hook portion and a tongue portion, the free ends of the hook and tongue having resilient engagement with each other, one of the connecting members of the outer link passing through said inner link' and serving both as a guide for the sliding inner link and as a separator to prevent said free ends being separated when the links are in contracted relation, and a spring housed by said two links and interposed between the closed end of the loop of 'ber therein, said slidable member being separated at one end and terminating in a hook portion to engage an adjacent end of an adjacent member, hook and the adjacent portion of the link having resilient engagement with each other, and a spring interposed between the other end of the slidable link and relatively fixed means on the fixed members.

v8. In a bracelet, or the like, a series of outer links-having sides and end connecting elements for the sides, coupling for-the outer links having closed ends and hooks at their opposite ends and also having catches which cooperate with the hooks, and springs in the coupling links to cause the closed ends thereof to press against adjacent hooks, and

the free end of the to cause the adjacent connecting elements to lie opposite the catches to prevent opening movement of the latter.

9. In a bracelet or the like, outer links I movably connecting the outer links.

11. In a bracelet or the like, outer links,

inner sliding links therein, and a hook on each inner link engageable with the adjacent end of the outer link.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EZRA S. SMITH. itnesses HORATIO E. Barrows, CHARLES S. JENCKES. 

